I have posted a poem by Naomi Shibab Nye before. I love her work. Here for your delectation is
Valentine For Ernest Mann – Naomi Shibab Nye
You can’t order a poem like you order a taco.Walk up to the counter, say, “I’ll take two”and expect it to be handed back to youon a shiny plate.Still, I like your spirit.Anyone who says, “Here’s my address,write me a poem,” deserves something in reply.So I’ll tell a secret instead:poems hide. In the bottoms of our shoes,they are sleeping. They are the shadowsdrifting across our ceilings the momentbefore we wake up. What we have to dois live in a way that lets us find them.Once I knew a man who gave his wifetwo skunks for a valentine.He couldn’t understand why she was crying.“I thought they had such beautiful eyes.”And he was serious. He was a serious manwho lived in a serious way. Nothing was uglyjust because the world said so. He reallyliked those skunks. So, he re-invented themas valentines and they became beautiful.At least, to him. And the poems that had been hidingin the eyes of skunks for centuriescrawled out and curled up at his feet.Maybe if we re-invent whatever our lives give uswe find poems. Check your garage, the off sockin your drawer, the person you almost like, but not quite.And let me know.
Click here for her beautiful and moving poem, Kindness.
2 The lovely Mr Smith came home with a present for me today, something I have been coveting for some time – a tool box of my own! Just look!
3 In today’s Guardian was a recipe that I couldn’t resist and I made it this afternoon for a shared lunch tomorrow. In fact, I then made another for us as it smelled just so good! It tastes wonderful too. I will post the recipe soon. The original is made with Hazelnuts. Mine is with Almonds.